Research / Clinical
Summary
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Diseases/Research Topics
Biomarkers, Breast Cancer, Cancer, Glycan, Polysaccharide, Prostate Cancer
Dr. Schwab has two active translational research interests:
1) identifying biomarkers of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) activity in breast and prostate cancer, and
2) developing novel cancer diagnostics based on abnormal polysaccharide content, or anti-polysaccharide antibodies, in blood and urine
Both of these interests will benefit from his efforts to create a biorepository at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. Initiated by Dr. Dennis Carson, Cancer Center Director, the biorepository will be composed of blood and urine samples with associated clinical data from 3,000 patients for use by investigators interested in developing novel biomarkers. As the biomarker program grows, this biorepository can also grow to incorporate tumor samples as research programs dictate.
Dr. Schwab's primary interest is etodolac, a unique FDA-approved generic NSAID. It is composed of two stereo-enantiomers (mirror image molecules), R- and S- etodolac. S-etodolac is a typical NSAID, while R-etodolac does not inhibit the cyclo-oxygenase (COX) enzymes.
In collaboration with surgeons, pathologists and other medical oncologists Dr. Schwab has opened a series of studies testing etodolac (a combination of the R- and S- forms) in breast and prostate cancer. Tumors samples taken before and after treatment allow for the development of novel assays to determine if and how this agent is working.
Supplementing this effort is ongoing study of the effect of R-etodolac in animal models of breast cancer. This work, under the mentorship of Dr. Dennis Carson, has identified novel anti-tumor activity in this COX independent NSAID. By simultaneously studying the approved generic drug etodolac in patients and the investigational agent (purified R-etodolac) in animal models, we can accelerate the progress of this research.
Dr. Schwab's other interest involves a collaboration with UCSD’s world-renown glycobiology expert, Dr. Ajit Varki. Combining his expertise with the Cancer Center’s new microarray production facility and biorespository, they hope to develop novel assays to detect cancers at their earliest, and most curable, stage.
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